Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:26:39 -0500
From: PNS KID <pnskid61@cox.net>
Subject: Sojourn Chapter 43

Author's note.  All the previous disclaimers and copyrights apply.  Well,
did you wait long enough?  I am sorry about how long.  I have no excuse
other than I just wasn't in the mood to write.  Each and every day I would
receive emails asking me to write but I just couldn't do it.  Well, I want
you to know that the next chapter is half way done and you will be REALLY
glad to know that when you finish this chapter.  Hang in there.  I fully
expect people to track me down if I wait so long again!  As always, emails
welcome at pnskid61@cox.net

>From Chapter 42...

When they arrived at the farmhouse, Sean, Ethan, Rick, and Kevin went into
the barn to change clothes.  Sarah and Sheila went to the main house.
Everyone agreed to meet in the main house to tell Dan, Jane, and Adam about
their day.  Kevin stayed behind to have a shower as Ethan, Sean, and Rick
made the short walk to the main house.

The fire was burning in the hearth and everyone was seated in the main
room.  Ethan looked around and was surprised that nobody got up to greet
them.  Adam didn't even run up for his usual hugs.  The dogs were gone.  It
was then he saw Sheila with tears in her eyes.  Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.

"What is the matter, what is wrong," Ethan asked.

"Well, well, well.  The faggot gold digger has finally arrived.  And look,
his free loader boyfriend is with him."

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here," Ethan asked, panic
easing into his voice.

"Get over here, all of you.  Don't be stupid or think you get can get
away," he said opening his coat to reveal plastic explosives tied to his
body.

"Who are you, what do you want," Ethan asked again as he, Rick, and Sean
made their way close to the rest of the group.

"Oh, terribly sorry.  Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is
Simon.  Simon Morris.  I believe you knew my Dad, Albert.  You seduced my
father, corrupted him with your sick and perverted deviance, and made him
give you what was rightfully mine.  Well, your day has come.  Now, I am
going to take away from you what you value most."

Chapter 43

"Simon, you have it all wrong.  Your father and I were very close friends.
I was there for him when he was feeling lonely.  I never seduced your
father.  He was a good man and missed having contact with you and your
family.  You had shut him out of your lives," Ethan said.

"I expected something like that from you.  A twisted version of the events.
You know you always had your eye on his money.  You saw a lonely old man
and befriended him.  You seduced him and you got your money.  Well, I have
been thinking of how to make you pay.  I have been watching you and
waiting," Simon said the hatred giving way to a chuckle, "and I almost had
my job done for me when you had the car accident.  But you see, Ethan, that
wouldn't have been enough.  You dead isn't what I want.  No, I want
something much more than that.  I want you to suffer, like we have."

"Your stupid employee over there, Sheila, helped me out a lot.  What a
loser she is.  I went to Pensacola and it was almost too easy.  She bought
my story and spilled her guts.  Oh, I am so lonely.  Oh, I don't have any
friends.  Oh, boo hoo boo hoo.  Of course she told me when and where she
was flying you off to so I could easily keep track of you and your
entourage.  What a sap," Simon hissed while glaring at Sheila.

Sheila broke down in sobs.  Realizing that she had played a role in all of
this.  She couldn't look at anyone and wished she could die.  Never in her
life had she betrayed a friend and now, she had put some many lives in
jeopardy.

"I thought I did a masterful job with Quest, don't you think?"  Simon asked
with a sarcastic grin on his gloating face.  "Shame all those folks had to
die but that is the way it goes.  And the ship, well, I couldn't have asked
for more.  A total loss.  Brilliant work on my part."

Simon continued, "You see, that was just a prelude to the final event. Now
to finish what I started.  Ethan, you and I are going for a little walk.
The rest of you are to stay here.  All of the windows and doors have
sensors on them which I will activate when we leave.  If you try to leave,
you will all die."

"No, Ethan, please don't go, please," Adam cried out.  "I love you, please
don't leave me and Daddy."  Rick was now holding Adam as he pleaded through
his sobs.

"Aww, isn't that sweet.  The faggot's little boy doesn't want you to go.
Aww, touching.  Tell the little shit to shut up or I will end it all now,"
Simon yelled to Rick.

Rick asked Adam to be quiet and assured him everything would be ok.  He
wasn't sure he believed it himself.  He look at Ethan, the love of his
life, the man that had brought meaning to each day, and felt, deep inside,
he was looking at him for the last time.  He had to be strong for Adam and
the others.  But inside, he felt himself dying.

Sarah had her mother and Dan on either side of her and was holding their
hands.  She too knew that her best friend, her mentor, the kindest man she
had ever known would not be coming back.  She felt herself coming apart.
Silently tears flowed from her eyes.  This time, she couldn't protect him.
This time, she couldn't win.

Sean was seated next to Rick.  He could sense what Rick was feeling.  Sean
desperately wanted Kevin to be with him but at this moment, he knew what he
had to do.  He reached back and put his arm around Rick.  Trying to assure
him that he had support.  That they would get through this.  Sean looked
over to see tears rolling down Rick's face as Rick held a despondent Adam
in his arms.

"Isn't this touching.  Shame we have to leave.  Now all of you remember.
Do not try to leave.  Do not open any doors or windows if you want to see
another day.  Ethan, lets go," Simon ordered.

Ethan took one last look around the room.  He was responsible for all of
this.  Because of him, the people he cared about most in the world were at
risk.  Rick, Adam, Sarah, Jane, and Sean.  These people were his world.
Dan was part of Sarah's world now which made him part of Ethan's.  Sheila,
well, he didn't know her that well but he knew she did not mean to aide
Simon.  His thoughts now were to do whatever he could to save them.  He
gathered himself and stood tall.  He would go with dignity and grace.
Simon could do whatever he wanted to him.  Please God, let everyone else be
safe.

Simon put his arm around Ethan and led him towards the door.  "Don't try
and get brave or get away.  The explosives I have on me are enough to kill
in a large radius.  Also, I have the device to activate some packages I
have placed around the farmhouse.  So try something and your sweet little
gathering in there will be dust."

As they left the farmhouse, Simon connected some wires at the main door to
the farmhouse and attached a small keypad. He punched in a code and then
led Ethan out into the Moor.

They walked about 20 minutes until they reached the tor located about half
a mile from the farmhouse.  The night was clear and the farmhouse was in
clear sight.  Simon instructed Ethan to sit down on the rocks scattered
around the tor.  Simon sat down next to Ethan with his arm still around
Ethan's shoulders.

"So, my little friend.  It is just the two of us.  And now, the fun begins.
You see, it wouldn't be any fun to kill you.  You need to know what it is
like to feel empty.  To feel like you have no reason to go on.  And I am
going to do that for you.  Consider it my gift to you," Simon laughed the
words out of his mouth.

Then the penny dropped for Ethan.  His stomach knotted, his heart raced,
his head throbbed.  The farmhouse.  And everyone it.

"Please, Simon, I will give you anything you want.  You can have all the
money.  I will swear that nobody will divulge your name.  You can have the
money and live somewhere else.  Please, in the name of God, please don't
hurt anybody else."  Ethan was pleading.

Simon's laughter could be heard as it carried in the breeze across the
moor.  It was the sick and demented laugh of someone with ice in their
veins.

"You see, you are already feeling what it is like and we haven't had our
fun yet.  This is going to be much better than I hoped."

Simon reached into his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone.  He entered a
phone number and held the phone in Ethan's face.

"The magic numbers will start the fun.  Shall I press send or will you do
the honours," Simon asked in a mocking tone.

"Please don't," was all that Ethan could manage.  His spirit fading.

"Ok, I will do it," Simon laughed as he pressed send.  Ethan could hear the
phone connect and the ringing of the number.  Then - the connection.

A flash of light filled the sky.  The flash was followed shortly by a
thundering sound which made Ethan's bones shake.  Ethan watched as the
farmhouse, serene and still in the darkness of the moor, became a ball of
light.  The light changed from a bright white to red to orange.  Smoke was
also visible, the grey of the smoke contrasting with the black of the night
sky. Another rumble followed by a flash of light and another rumble.  What
Ethan could see was that the farmhouse was destroyed.  There was no way
that anyone could have survived the massive power of the explosion.  Rick,
Adam, Sarah, Jane, Sean, Dan, Sheila.  No way they could have survived.  It
was at that moment that Ethan's will to live ended.